Therapeutic abortion is eliminated in the middle of the election campaign

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, October 27, 2006

By a 52 vote in favor, the National Assembly of Nicaragua yesterday abolished Article 165 Taxi Heathrow Airport of the Penal Code, which for more than 100 years had allowed therapeutic abortion in that country. The decision is considered to be a setback for women’s rights.    

The ruling did not surprise anyone, even though the decision taken by the Nicaraguan politicians caused great hurt to the women who defend the right to equality, health and life. There is no room for surprise, when in the middle of a fierce election campaign, it has been seen that the influence of those sectors opposed to therapeutic abortion has gained ground in all sectors. 

As was expected, therapeutic abortion was eliminated from the Penal Code, after the Sandinista, Liberal and other blocs abolished Article 165 of the Constitution, by a 52 vote in favor. Nicaragua now joins El Salvador and Chile, as the only countries in Latin America that penalize therapeutic abortion.

Women’s movements, human rights organizations and medical societies were not able to enter the National Assembly building. On the contrary, Roman Catholic clergy and Evangelicals were able to without any difficulty. For months now, religious sectors that are opposed to each other but united against therapeutic abortion, have made themselves strongly heard through debates, marches and meetings with election candidates.

According to The New Daily (El Nuevo Diario) newspaper, theologian Michell Najlis has expressed that “the penalizing of abortion is a step backwards to centuries long gone, as the representatives did not even bother to present arguments during the debate. They only followed the orders of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, ignoring and overriding the rights of women.” Najlis added that the legislators abolished the law in the context of an election, only to win votes but without it being of any concern to them that they were riding over the dead bodies of poor women.  

“The Roman Catholic hierarchy has forgotten that we are all the Church, by arrogating the representation of all the people. As Christians we are all the Church and they do not represent many of us. What they have done is shameful and contrary to the gospel,” said Najlis.

For Freddy Meynard, Dean of the Medical Sciences Faculty of the UNAN-Managua, the eliminating of therapeutic abortion is an inhuman action against women. He said that, “This decision is urging doctors and students not to tend to cases where a woman comes with vaginal bleeding, because they could be put in prison for four years.”

In defending the abolishment of therapeutic abortion, Legislator Wilfredo Navarro said that there are women ambassadors who foster abortion, and also international organization officials who do the same, and described them as being “sexual libertines and criminals.”

The legislators paid no attention to a letter in which the international community asked the representatives for a meeting to “dialogue and deeply reflect unhurriedly over therapeutic abortion, before their making a final decision.” The medical society had also made the same request, saying that the matter was becoming a political issue just prior to the presidential elections on November 5.   

Rebeca Grynspan, Sub-General Secretary of the United Nations, who was on a visit to the country since Monday, said also that the matter of abortion is “a very delicate one and should be discussed at the appropriate time and setting, an election period being a very difficult moment for that.”

Source: Fuente: El Nuevo Diario (The New Daily)